Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Care Charter

​Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Charter
Alcohol and Other Drugs
(AOD) Care Charter

About the AOD Care Charter

The AOD Care Charter guides all staff to deliver care that is safe, accessible, equitable, and non-judgemental. The AOD Care Charter aims to improve the experiences and health outcomes of people who use or have used alcohol and other drugs.

The AOD Care Charter calls on all staff to reflect on their work practice and provides a framework for services to assess their culture, policies, processes and physical and social environments.

All health services in NSW should deliver care in line with the AOD Care Charter.

Key principles of the AOD Care Charter

Find out what to do and why it matters:

​
    • Treat the person with respect, dignity and courtesy.
      Everyone deserves equal treatment, you may be the only health contact I have.
    • Create a safe and welcoming environment.
      When the environment is culturally safe, calm and contained, everyone is less stressed
    • Provide trauma-informed, person-centred care.
      Be mindful, I may be vulnerable. My voice, choices and needs matter.
    • Listen to the person’s presenting needs.
      Listen to understand my experience and challenges. Empathy and non-judgemental care builds trust.
    • Use person-centred and accessible non-technical language and be aware of body language.
      Clear and welcoming words allow me to understand my treatment and what I need to do next. Clear is kind. See Language Matters and other resources.
    • Respect individual, cultural and religious differences.
      Health services are for everyone. Respecting my values and beliefs promotes inclusion and equity.
    ​
    • Objectively assess and treat the presenting issue to ensure correct diagnosis and timely, equitable treatment.
      My drug or alcohol use may not be the reason I am here today. Do not assume I am drug seeking if I disclose drug use.
    • Be informed or seek appropriate consultation to address the person’s needs and provide appropriate referrals.
      This will lead to a better therapeutic outcome and may reduce the number of times I have to come into a service. If I need pain medication, consider my pain threshold and medication tolerance, or seek appropriate consultation.
    • Develop treatment plans with the person and provide options for care. Include family/carers as partners with person’s consent.
      I am the expert of my life. Explore all options with me and take my views and suggestions into account.
    • Seek permission to discuss substance use and if so, provide information on harm reduction and managing health effects of AOD use.
      I may not want to change my AOD use or may have barriers to accessing treatment. Help me manage the side effects of using AOD.
    ​
    • Respect the person’s privacy and confidentiality and do not disclose information unless authorised.
      My AOD use is a personal matter that I may not wish to share with everyone. When relevant to my care, use discretion.
    • Be honest and upfront about mandatory reporting obligations.
      Trust and connection enable me to be open and frankly discuss my issues. I can choose what I wish to disclose.
    • Use non-stigmatising language in the person’s medical records.
      Communicate my story sensitively as this will affect how I’m perceived and treated now and in the future. See Language Matters and other resources.
    ​
    • Be clear about care delivery policies when a person is under the influence of AOD and provide a supportive environment until treatment can occur.
      This can help to de-escalate the situation in what could be one of my most unwell or difficult situations.
    • Be transparent about what specialist AOD services are available and what you can and can’t do. Refer and support the person to access other available services.
      This helps me manage my expectations around care and what I need to do next.
    • Provide access to peer workers within services where possible.
      Peer workers help build trust, emotional safety, and help me navigate services and treatment.
    • Provide opportunity for feedback.
      I would like to have any concerns addressed and share my experience to improve quality of health care services
    ​

Signatories

NSW Government 

NSW Health

Agency for Clinical Innovation

 

NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA)  
Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) 
Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre 
Uniting 
​
Centre for social research in health 
DPMP - Drug Policy Modelling Program 
The buttery 

 

Adopt the AOD Care Charter within your service

Find tips and resources to help you adopt the AOD Care Charter and provide better experiences and health outcomes for people who use or have used alcohol and other drugs.

How to adopt the AOD Care CharterJoin the list of signatories

Acknowledgement of contributions

The AOD Care Charter was co-designed with people with a lived or living experience of alcohol and other drug use and with clinicians. It is a partnership between the NSW Ministry of Health, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA) and Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA).

The NSW Ministry of Health would like to acknowledge and thank the Co-Design Working Group who developed the AOD Care Charter and made a major contribution to implementation planning:

  • Alice Pierce
  • Angela Thornhill
  • Angus Mason
  • Briallen Lloyd
  • Daria Erihe
  • Fabian Galbraith
  • Francine Campbell
  • Grace Ha
  • Jennifer Uzabeaga
  • Jocasta Fitzpatrick
  • Kate Masters
  • Kevin Street
  • Laura Griffin
  • Laura Purcell
  • Lucy Pepolim
  • Marisa Ronsisvalle
  • Mary Ellen Harrod
  • Melissa Romeo
  • Michael Clark
  • Michele Campbell
  • Nigel Woudsma
  • Pip Morris
  • Raewyn Whiting
  • Regina Nagy
  • Ryan Webster
  • Suzie Hudson.
​
Current as at: Tuesday 14 January 2025
Contact page owner: Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs